NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Just when it seemed like the Rangers had hit rock bottom, the team proved it can always reach new depths.
The Blueshirts suffered their second loss to a last-place club in just over a week at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday night, dropping a point against the basement Predators but suffering their first shutout of the season, 2-0. On December 9th, they played against the Blackhawks, who were ranked 32nd at the time.
“It shouldn't be hard to stay focused right now,” Lindgren said. “We should be driven to get out of this situation. We should do whatever it takes every game to get out of this situation. We're fighting like hell to get out of there. You saw it tonight, We thought we fought, but now it's not working. It's our job to get back to work and keep doing what we can.”
Prior to Tuesday's win, the Predators had not only lost nine of their last 10 games, but they were also the only NHL team yet to reach double digits in wins.
Nashville is currently on the list of worse teams than the Rangers, but it's still the same as ever for a Blueshirts team that now just can't seem to stand up in any game.
With the loss, the Rangers officially fall to 15-15-1, which is a generous record given the club's workload this season.
“Our job is to win,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “That's why it's frustrating when you don't win. Everybody's frustrated about it all. We have to find a solution and we have to do it quickly.”
The frustration in the Rangers' locker room has also manifested on the ice this season.
Tuesday was just another example of Kaapo Kakko venting his frustration at being a healthy scratch in the previous game in St. Louis. The 23-year-old Finn basically expressed that he believes he doesn't deserve to be a freak, pointing out that it's easier to hurt young players like him than struggling veterans.
Kakko could become the second disgruntled player to be traded by the Rangers this season after captain Jacob Trouba was sent off despite blocking an offseason trade for family reasons.
Laviolette has been actively trying to divide his ice time in other ways, but the second-year Rangers bench boss hasn't been able to get the results he wants.
Halfway through December, Laviolette is already answering questions about job security.
The 60-year-old veteran coach, who played in 1,543 NHL games, was undaunted by the investigation. That's a question that has to be asked in every conversation about what the organization is going to do, but there's no indication that change is being considered behind the bench or within the leadership team.
“Those are things I can't control,” he said. “I’m in this for a long time.”
The Rangers came out looking for the puck, but the pursuit waned as the first period progressed.
Chad Ruhwedel's keep-in attempt was then deflected by Jonathan Marchessault, who, along with Steven Stamkos and Filip Forsberg, jumped up the line to grab a rushing chance, before finishing off a nice passing sequence to make it 1-0. took the lead.
From there, it was a free-for-all in the middle of the Rangers zone.
The Predators, who outscored the Rangers 14-8 in the second period, also benefited from strong goaltending from Juuse Saros, who recorded his third shutout of the season with 25 saves on 25 shots.
Then Adam Willsby gave Nashville some insurance with eight minutes left in regulation. The Predators forward scored his first NHL goal from a high field, doubling the home team's tally.
The Rangers are running out of answers as the season gets further and further away.
Losing to two of the worst teams in the NHL will be just a footnote if this 2024-25 season continues to go off track.
The only direction the Rangers need to go is up, but the question is when will they start getting on that track.
